WWE Smackdown Live Results (7/11): AJ Styles is the New US Champ

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Tuesday, July 11, 2017
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The July 11th edition of WWE SmackDown airs live on the USA Network from the from the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, featuring all the latest build to the upcoming Battleground pay-per-view (PPV) scheduled for later this month in Philadelphia.

Advertised for tonight: AJ Styles is US champion, and more!

The show opens with a recap of the United States Championship #1 contender's battle royal from last week before moving on to footage of the house show match where AJ Styles won the US title.

We are then welcomed to the show by Tom Philipps.

The United States Champion AJ Styles makes his entrance. He says Battleground came a little early for him at Madison Square Garden, and he wouldn't call himself the face of America, but considering that Kevin Owens looks like a monkey's butt, he's got to be an upgrade. But this isn't about Kevin Owens or about AJ Styles, it's about the title around his waist and what it represents.

He also said that it wasn't too long ago that a United States Champion wanted to prove he was the best every time he got in the ring. That person took on all comers and he called it the US Open Challenge, and Styles thinks it's about time we brought it back. He also said that the title's been overlooked way too many times, and from now on whenever you see a man with that title around his waist, you know he's the best.

And if any WWE superstar disagrees, well, tonight is your lucky night. Tonight you can come out here and prove him wrong, because right here, right now is AJ Styles' US Open Challenge, and it starts right now. AJ then waits for someone to answer his challenge.

John Cena makes his way down the ring. He then gets on the mic. He says he just wants to make sure Styles realizes what he just said, "US Championship Open Challenge", and asks if that's for everybody but him. AJ says no, that's him, especially him.

Cena accepts the challenge and he says let's do this. He calls a referee down and there on.

Before the match can even start, Kevin Owens interrupts. He says nobody wants to see another stupid Cena/Styles match, we've already had to sit through way too many of them and nobody cares. The only thing anyone should care about is the rightful owner of the title reclaiming it and that's him. As for Cena, nobody wants him and he doesn't deserve to be near his title anyway.

John Cena says it's not that he doesn't want to see him, it's that he can't see him, and he's just like everybody else running their mouth over the years trying to leave. You want him to leave, you shut up, step up, and do something about it, but you step in this ring right now he'll run through him and then he'll run through Styles.

Rusev makes his way down the ring and attacks John Cena. AJ pulls him off but Owens comes in and pop-up powerbomb him. Rusev gets the thrust kick on Cena, kicks him at his back, and locks on the Accolade. The heels take their leave as Cena and Styles writhe in pain.

Commentary hypes up Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Baron Corbin and Tye Dillinger vs. Jinder Mahal, which will happen later tonight after the break.

Back from commercial, commentary tells us that the opening segment has turned into a main event tag team match.

The Singh Brothers come out to the stage to introduce WWE Champion Jinder Mahal. He's in action next in a non-title match.

Jinder Mahal def. Tye Dillinger: Jinder drops Tye early on and follows up with some knee drops. Jinder works over Tye in the corner and throws some more knees and chops. Dillinger fires up and hits some punches in the corner, but Jinder shuts him down with a flying knee to the face. Jinder immediately follows up with the Cobra Clutch slam for the win after a mostly one-sided match.

After the match, Jinder gets on the mic and expresses his disgust that the American fans boo him while they cheer that snake Randy Orton. Jinder says they can boo him all they want, but the 1.3 billion people of India know he's the best Champion of all time. Jinder says Orton won't be making his life a living hell, it'll be Jinder bringing hell to Orton's life. Jinder says next week, he's bringing the Punjabi Prison to SmackDown.

New Day are walking backstage handing presents out, Xavier Woods will wrestle Jey Uso after the break.

After the break, The New Day makes their way to the ring. Xavier Woods will wrestle Jey Uso next.

Xavier Woods def. Jey Uso: The New Day and Jimmy Uso are all at ringside. Xavier takes control early on with a big right hand, then chokes Jey over the middle rope. Jimmy Uso trips Xavier behind the ref's back, then Jey shoves Kofi off the apron. Big E, Kofi, and Jimmy Uso all get in the ring, and the ref ejects them all from ringside. Woods tries to take advantage of the distraction with a rollup from behind, but Jey evades it and hits a superkick. Jey comes off the top for a splash but Woods blocks it with the knees. Woods hits a kick to the head then a flying elbow for the win.

After the match, Jimmy Uso hits the ring immediately and chases off a celebrating Xavier Woods. Woods runs back to his partners at ringside as they continue to celebrate.

Commentary hypes up the Corbin and Nakamura match once more for tonight and we go to break.

Back from commercial, Shane McMahon is backstage talking to Daniel Bryan and telling him nobody has asked about James Ellsworth. Naomi enters and says that Carmella has a title shot whenever she wants, and that's fine, but who does she get to defend against next? Better not say that it is Lana.

Charlotte Flair enters and says if he says Lana again he'll have to ban her like Ellsworth because she's gonna get violent. Becky, Tamina, Lana, and Natalya all enter and also get into the conversation trying to be the next challenger for Naomi. Because of this, Shane makes a five-way elimination match between Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Lana, Natalya, and Tamina for Battleground, where the winner of this match will face Naomi at SummerSlam.

Charlotte asks why some of the lesser women are in this and Nattie gives her some heated response for it. Shane makes a tag match for later, and everyone but Naomi leaves. Carmella enters holding a petition to reinstate James Ellsworth from her attorney. McMahon tears it up and tells her to go back to her attorney.

Baron Corbin is interviewed backstage. He says he's afraid of what he's gonna do to Shinsuke Nakamura, who has to learn that he's not Mr. Money in the Bank. It'll be sayonara, Nakamura.

The match will be after the break.

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Baron Corbin - No Contest: Nakamura jumps Corbin before the bell at ringside as Corbin is making his entrance. Corbin and Nakamura brawl all over ringside and into the crowd until refs come break it up. Corbin retrieves his Money In The Bank briefcase from the ringside floor and retreats to the back.

AJ Styles is shown hanging out in the locker room when John Cena enters. He says the open challenge is a great idea but maybe hold off until he's gone again because you know he's gonna accept it. AJ says he was counting on it, because John took something from him, and he's gonna hold that title for a long time.

Cena says he respects AJ, and you don't just get it, you earn it. Tonight Styles has his word, he's got his back.

The Women's tag team match is up next, after the break.

Back from commercial, Cedric Alexander cuts a promo to hype his "I Quit" Match against Noam Dar on 205 Live tonight.

Tamina & Natalya def. Charlotte & Becky Lynch: Becky and Tamina starts off and Becky hits a flurry of strikes early on. Kicks and leg drops from Becky before she tags in Charlotte. Charlotte goes for a German suplex, but Tamina elbows her off and head-butts her down. Natalya tags in and continues to work over Charlotte with strikes. Becky and Tamina tag in and Tamina and Natalya briefly double-team Becky with kicks. Tamina puts Becky in a headlock and Lana comes down to the ramp to ringside for a closer look. Natalya tags in and the heels once against double-team Becky. Natalya goes for a splash in the corner but Becky blocks it with a boot to the face and tags in Charlotte. Charlotte hits some chops to the chest of Natalya then a boot to the face. Charlotte follows up with a knee drop and a T-bone suplex, but then she gets distracted by Lana on the apron. Tamina apparently tagged in when Charlotte and the camera weren't looking, then she hits a superkick on an unsuspecting Charlotte for the win.

After the match, Lana celebrates with Tamina and Natalya on the ramp.

Commentary hypes up our tag team main event.

Maria Kanellis is walking backstage. She knocks on the men's locker room door and Chad Gable answers. She's looking for an apology from Sami Zayn but he's not there. She tells Gable to tell him she's looking for him, and we go to break.

Back from commercial, Sami Zayn finds Maria and Mike Kanellis backstage, and Maria demands and apology. Zayn says he already apologized and he's sick of apologizing, and it seems they should apologize since they're always in his way when he has something to do. Zayn points out that he actually wrestles matches on Smackdown, and asks what Mike does here. Mike takes offense to this and Maria slaps Zayn across the face, then Mike smashes a vase full of roses over his face. Maria tells Zayn that's the power of love, and sometimes love hurts.

Commentary hypes up Battleground a little, talking about Nakamura/Corbin before the next edition of the Fashion Files.

This week it's Runway Walker, Texas Rangers. Breezango are moseying along backstage, Fandango riding a stick horse and Breeze carrying a lasso "like Wonder Woman". Fandango asks Zack Ryder to park his horse and compliments him on his hair and his suit before giving Tyler the signal, but he's got the lasso all tangled up.

Zack asks if he wears a bra when he's undercover to test the lasso and Breeze says of course, he's not a hippie. Mojo Rawley enters and asks what this is all about, and Breezango thinks it's not a coincidence they were attacked on Ryder's first night back. Mojo says they were busy talking with Daniel Bryan about being #1 contenders and they wouldn't do anything shady.

Ryder asks about being eliminated last week, and Rawley defends it as the natural course of a battle royal and says they gotta get focused. Zack says maybe he's right, they have to get back to reality, all of them. Breezango decide to head back to the office but someone stole Fandango's horse. Maybe Aliens? Maybe Ghosts?! Maybe Ghost Aliens?

Find out soon on the Fashion X-Files.

Kevin Owens makes his entrance as our main event is after the break.

Back from commercial, we get some hype for Talking Smack, featuring John Cena, Sami Zayn, and the Usos, but no Daniel Bryan.

AJ Styles & John Cena def. Kevin Owens & Rusev: Rusev hits a running shoulder block on Cena early on that drops Cena. Rusev rolls outside to celebrate with his Bulgarian flag, allowing Cena to recover in the ring. Rusev rolls back in the ring and Cena drops him with a shoulder block of his own, then whips Rusev in the corner and hits a running bulldog. Owens tags in and boots Cena in the midsection then stomps on him while he's down. Rusev tags back in and the heels briefly double team Cena behind the ref's back. Rusev and Cena trade punches as Cena tries to fight his way over to tag in AJ. Rusev drops Cena with a kick to the head then goes up top. Rusev goes flying for a splash but Cena rolls out of the way and tags in AJ.

AJ tees off on Rusev with elbows to the face and a clothesline. AJ hits a running forearm shot, then takes a moment to taunt Owens. Rusev fights back with an elbow to the face. AJ goes for the Calf Crusher but Owens breaks it up. The distraction from Owens leads to Rusev kicking AJ in the back of the head for a two count. Owens tags in and works on keeping AJ grounded. AJ fights his way up to his feet but Owens levels him with a clothesline for a two count.

Owens drags AJ over to his corner and tags in Rusev for the double team. Rusev follows up with a kick to the head/shoulder for another two count. Rusev taunts Cena then hits a running elbow drop on Styles. Rusev gets AJ in a bear hug until AJ punches and head-butts his way out. Rusev goes for a back suplex but AJ escapes and hits a kick to the head. Cena and Owens get the tags and Cena hits a running shoulder block and a back suplex on Owens. Cena hits the Five Knuckle Shuffle on Owens then goes for the AA, but Rusev breaks it up. Rusev kicks Cena in the head, then AJ hits the Phenomenal Forearm on Rusev and a Pele kick on Owens. Cena follows up with the AA on Owens for the win.

After the match, Cena raises Styles' hand and they celebrate the victory. Cena and AJ stare each other down, then AJ holds up his U.S. Title as SmackDown goes off the air.